the buzz log
Buzz Multiplex: Darkness Returns
Why so furious?
Some fans of "The Dark Knight" feel the blockbuster got cheated out of Academy recognition for best director and best picture, but at least they have a chance this weekend for box office payback. The Christopher Nolan vehicle's not the only snubbed film opening in wide release this week. Could a perceived Oscar snub be as powerful an audience aphrodisiac as a nomination? At least in the Buzz Multiplex, a statuette isn't required to be among the three top-searched movies on Yahoo! this week.
1. The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience (PG-13). Just one day after the anniversary of Heath Ledger's death, his posthumous action-adventure film gets another release in movie theaters. Audiences can get a close-up reminder why Ledger snagged the Oscar nomination for best supporting actor, and aggrieved fans can show their support. The IMAX version includes six sequences using special cameras, but international theatergoers prone to nausea have a choice of only 29 other screens to avoid the effects. MTV.com lists the rundown of theaters hosting Batman and Joker's return.
2. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (R). Oscar wouldn't touch this horror-thriller with a gold-plated 10-foot britannium pole. Still, R-ratings aside, searchers 13-44 have developed a thirst for the third in this money-making series, which makes this either the lowbrow group-date movie of the week or the dysfunctional family compromise. Sorry, sweet Kate Beckinsale won't be reprising her toothy role as a bloodsucker in love with a werewolf. Instead, Rhona Mitra plays the female vampire lead in this prequel—popular, yes, but Mitra reaps only half the lookups of her predecessor. People most into underworld clashes? Online searchers from Kentucky, South Carolina, and Oklahoma.
3. Revolutionary Road (R). Best supporting actor, art direction, and costume design were all the Academy was willing to consider for this critically lauded melodrama, and denied Kate Winslet (nominated for Best Actress in "The Reader") a chance to double her odds. The suburban drama, now in wider release, still beckons mostly to women especially from Dallas-Fort Worth, Seattle-Tacoma, and New York City.
Buzz Multiplex: A Bloody Notorious Defiance
You've just watched the most historic inauguration of your time. Do you then sneak into the screening about the rapper, the based-on-a-true tale of World War II resistors, a mall cop comedy, or the 3D-freakout?
Actually, the freeby inauguration theatrical screenings aren't until Tuesday, so if you want to avoid the politics, this weekend's the time to watch these eclectic offerings. (And no, we don't advocate sneaking in, even in these hard economic times.) Here are the three most-searched movie openings for this three-day weekend, as people look for ways to get out of the cold.
1. Notorious (PG-13, limited release). Biggie Smalls didn't even live a quarter-century before he was shot in 1997, and his case remains unresolved. Interest has also been focused on Lil Kim's displeasure over her depiction in the bio-pic. The screenwriter's asking the music artist to see the movie before she judges, but she may want to pass given the largely unimpressed reviews who prefer the soundtrack (up 358% in lookups this week, incidentally). Still, combined searches for the late rapper and his movie pushes "Notorious" as the most-searched film this week. Most interested in the big-screen story are folks in Washington D.C. — as though they don't have enough excitement coming up.
2. My Bloody Valentine 3D (R). Winter has become Hollywood's horror wastelands, but people (especially ages 13-44) love checking out things that may scare the pants off them. For those who actually care about the reviews, this heartwarming, albeit "absurd," throwback stirred Newsday's critical affections as a return "to those entertainingly scary days of the late 1970s and early 1980s, the golden age for modern horror films." The Daily Sentinel says its "style... proves that a bad movie can still make for a great time at the movies." Given the interest from men and women alike, "Valentine" slashes the mark as the gruesome, scream-inducing, mature date movie of the week.
3. Defiance (R). "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" and "Hotel for Dogs" jockeyed for the third slot, but Daniel Craig's dramatic crossover from his James Bond day job just squeaked in. Critics admire the tale about four brothers saving more than 1,200 people from the Nazis, but they don't necessarily love the Hollywood-style execution. Then again, the storytelling's brought to you by Ed Zwick, master of swollen-valor films like "Blood Diamond" and "The Last Samurai." Once again, Zwick successfully tugs at male audience Search strings (63% male versus 37% female).
Filed under: Movies, Rap Music, Horror, Notorious B.I.G.
Buzz Multiplex: The Haunted Rock Porno Version
Against the Halloween holiday juggernaut, the specter of a porn comedy isn't titillating as many people as one would think. Meanwhile, a teen-friendly horror slips past critics, and Guy Ritchie's newest entry barely gets the sympathy vote. Exception: Clint Eastwood's "Changeling," which led last week's searches despite its limited-release status, should trounce the competition when it opens in wide release. Here are how the three other premieres fare within the Buzz Multiplex.
1. "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" (R). Does the cult of director Kevin Smith, the '90s indie version of Judd Apatow, still run strong? Somewhat, if nostalgic queries for "kevin smith movies" are any indication. Interest over the past 7 days seem surprisingly low (top 20,000 terms on Yahoo!), despite lots of fuss over the movie's title. Overall, males (73% of lookups) overwhelmingly prefer this guy-style romantic comedy, but the could've-been-an-NC-17-rating-but-R-it-is rating aces out the teen boys. Turns out, though, that all the love is going to star Elizabeth Banks, who plays the titular Miri, with more than triple the queries as the movie title. Rumpled Seth Rogen (as Zach), Justin Long (as a gay porn star) and Smith regular Jason Mewes (as Lester) get some affection too.
2. "The Haunting of Molly Hartley" (PG-13). Is this movie so scary, the "filmmakers, the producers, the distributor" decided it'd scare the polka-dotted panties off the critics? At least the director's not afraid to grant interviews about this poignant coming-of-age film, up 167% in searches: The tale's about a teen who finds out her parents made a deal with the devil, and he's come to collect her soul. Bummer. Potential fans run 71% female, although part of that could be due to the casting of one Chace Crawford of "Gossip Girl" TV fame. Star Haley Bennett only scores a fourth of his online popularity. Double bummer.
3. "RocknRolla" (PG-13). For the last of our rhetorical questions: Does director Guy Ritchie need your sympathy? Separated from his high-powered wife and on a cinematic losing track, Ritchie could use a break. As per usual, he gets a mixed reception: AP says the latest screwball heist comedy shows the director's "back in form," and the Boston Globe calls him a "rehabbed Guy Ritchie" displaying the virtue of "restraint." The McClatchy Newspapers critic begs to differ and deems it "devoid of anything like real feeling." Either case, the anticipation's tepid, although the crew of Gerard Butler, Idris Elba, Ludacris, Thandie Newton and Jeremy Piven seems pleasing enough to searchers.
Buzz Multiplex: A Frightening Mix of Musicals, Mayhem, and Angelina Jolie
Forget red and blue states. This week at the Buzz Multiplex, the cheery Disney crowd will be commingling in the ticket lines with horror fans. Following a safe distance behind is Clint Eastwood's next Oscar hopeful, but that's not counting the Jolie factor.
1. "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" (G). Without tallying up all the HSM hysteria, the cable-behemoth-turned-big-screen-spectacle would still rock the top movie spot. Add up all those lookups for the soundtrack, lyrics, premiere and tickets, though, and the Disney juggernaut boasts a two-fold lead and numbers (top 500 searches this week) that are in superhero blockbuster territory. For those who have successfully dodged the phenom and now are resigned to learning Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez's backstory, you can catch up on one and two here, and in Time's review. The (mostly under-17 female) fans already hankering for a fourth outing should go read, of all things, the Wall Street Journal's assessment.
2. "Saw V" (R). One thing this crowd has in common with the "HSM" kids—they're already ready for another go. This merry return to psychopathic fantasies lists Tobin Bell in the cast, although he died in "Saw IV" ... or did he? Oddly, movies in this genre don't usually get lookups for reviews, but maybe economic times dictate where money is best spent. According to opinions like the one from the New York Daily News critic, this version's not worth the admission price. Still, expect a healthy if twisted crowd given the huge Search interest (top 500) and the affection for actress Meagan Good.
3. "Changeling" (R, limited release). Director Clint Eastwood's latest thriller has been getting Oscar vibes since its Cannes Film Festival screening. The story's partly based on the so-called Wineville Chicken Coop Murders, focusing upon a missing boy's mother who accused the police of deliberately returning the wrong boy. Despite the Oscar glow, AP finds nuance missing in the "heavyweight drama," but Rolling Stone can't get enough of the "creative mojo" and the "force of nature" that is star Angelina Jolie. As for Jolie, she reaps more searches then every single movie opening this week, including her own. Now that's a force of nature.
Others sought out on the Buzz Marquee... "Pride and Glory" (R) pairs Edward Norton and Colin Farrell as diametrically opposed cops and brothers-in-law ... A bullied boy finds a friend in his neighbor, who happens to be a vampire, in "Let the Right One In" (limited) .... Bollywood animation teams up with Disney in "Roadside Romeo" (limited) who's a pampered dog that gets dumped in the mean streets.
Filed under: Movies, Horror, Musicals, Angelina Jolie, Disney
Buzz Multiplex: Beefcakes on the Menu
Beefcake's the main entree served up at the Buzz Multiplex this weekend, with A-list actors and historical sports figure. Of course, movie offerings also include the tasty family-film appetizer amd the guilty pleasures of junk-food horror. Feast your eyes upon the top four menu options based on Searches in the past seven days.
1. "Quarantine" (R). Horror movies usually draw lots of online interest, especially from the kiddies too young to catch an R-rated flick about reality TV show hosts caught in a quarantined building. Likely destined for the DVD bargain bin, the movie's also getting some traffic for its site, Contain the Truth, as well as stars Jennifer Carpenter, Jay Hernandez, and Columbus Short.
2. "Body of Lies" (R). So what stirs people's curiosities when Leonardo DiCaprio pairs with Russell Crowe in a spy film? DiCaprio's offscreen and onscreen lady loves, including Bar Rafaeli, Kate Winslet (in "Titanic") and his current romantic lead, Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani (+96%). War on terror films have garnered mix reception, and this one gets mixed critical feedback like "excessively intricate and extremely dull" to "throat-gripping urgency and some serious insights." The title does intrigue males and females 13-54, enough to reach the top 5,000 searches and claim the honor of political family movie of the week.
3. "City of Ember" (PG-13). Inspired by the novel of nearly the same name, the fantasy delves into the lives of two teens who try to figure out how to save their dying underground city. A 38% chunk of online lookups hails from the under-18 set. Teen stars Saoirse Ronan and Harry Treadaway may save the day, but only Ronan's getting the time of day among searchers. Among the old-timers, Bill Murray and Tim Robbins have been getting a gratifying bump in their online profiles.
4. "The Express" (PG). Don't be deceived by the fourth-place ranking in Search: Lookups for "ernie davis" (+131%), the first black man to win the Heisman Trophy, are five times as popular as the movie and higher than "Quarantine." Davis is also more popular than DiCaprio, the top searched actor of the week. As for star Rob Brown, the relative newcomer is making only a tiny Search ripple, while Dennis Quaid as the coach gets more love. Guys (especially those from the Eastern shores of the U.S., Texas, and California) make up two-thirds of the interest for the we-shall-overcome-feel-good-historical-sports movie of the week.
Filed under: Movies, Football, Literature, Horror
top movers
| Rank | Subject | 1-Day Move |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford 400 | Breakout! |
| 2 | Indonesia Ferry | Breakout! |
| 3 | Jordan Chandler | 3481% |
| 4 | Evan Chandler | 2322% |
| 5 | American Music Awards | 1841% |
| 6 | John F. Kennedy | 1529% |
| 7 | Turkey Stuffing Recipes | 1361% |
| 8 | Liam Hemsworth | 1172% |
| 9 | Lou Dobbs | 1142% |
| 10 | Hendrick Motorsports | 888% |
top leaders
| Rank | Subject | Move | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black Friday | +340 | 1290 |
| 2 | NFL | +489 | 670 |
| 3 | Jennifer Lopez | +451 | 515 |
| 4 | New Moon | -67 | 250 |
| 5 | American Music Awards | +236 | 249 |
| 6 | UFC | -36 | 239 |
| 7 | Miley Cyrus | +66 | 169 |
| 8 | Hulu | -11 | 154 |
what's the buzz?
A subject's buzz score is the percentage of Yahoo! users searching for that subject on a given day, multiplied by a constant to make the number easier to read. Weekly leaders are the subjects with the greatest average buzz score for a given week.
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